Jayson Tatum isn’t running from the challenge the Philadelphia 76ers just dropped into the Eastern Conference. If anything, he sounds energized by it.
After a wild offseason, the 76ers have built a roster that has people buzzing across the league. They traded for All-NBA guard Jaylen Brown and then signed LeBron James, a combination that has pushed Philadelphia into the center of the NBA conversation. That kind of move changes the temperature in the East, and it puts pressure on teams like the Boston Celtics to respond.
Tatum, though, doesn’t sound rattled by what the 76ers have assembled. Boston is coming into the season with plenty of doubt around it after losing Brown in the deal, and Paul George is now another year older, which leaves questions about how high the Celtics can climb outside of Tatum’s production. Still, the Celtics star seems more focused on the opportunity than the noise.
The matchup with Philadelphia already carries a fresh layer of edge, too. The 76ers were the team that came back from 3-1 down to beat the Celtics in the 2026 Playoffs, and now they’ve added even more firepower to the mix. Tatum made it clear he sees the bigger picture around the league and likes what this season has become.
"I was just kinda excited for the NBA. I think the buzz and the excitement level around this season is higher than in recent years.
A bunch of different guys on new teams; there are plenty of storylines people love to talk about. The NBA is going to be super competitive this year," Tatum said on The Dan Patrick Show about what he thinks about the league after James joined the 76ers.
That’s the kind of response that fits where Tatum is right now. The outside conversation may be centered on Philadelphia’s star power, but he’s sounding locked in on Boston’s side of the equation and on what the Celtics can still become with him driving the way.
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For the Sixers, the trade has already sharpened the edge of the Boston matchup, and the timing only makes the next stretch more interesting. Media days and preseason games are coming, and every public comment from here on out figures to get sifted for meaning as the two sides keep circling each other. [Read more 🡒]
Sixers May Not Get The Brunson Break Fans Were Hoping For
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For Philadelphia, the timing matters because the two teams are set to see each other three times, including a preseason matchup, before the end of October. Brunson has already been a tough matchup for the Sixers in the playoffs, and he is anticipated to be in the lineup for the season opener on October 20 unless something changes, which means any hoped-for early-season break may be slipping away. [Read more 🡒]